Virtual Keyboard For Mobile Devices Has Users Type On Air

Fujitsu has demoed a new way to type on a phone or tablet at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. A prototype virtual keyboard allows users to type on any surface, with the mobile device’s front-facing camera tracking your finger movements as you hit different invisible keys.

The software-based solution requires you to align your fingers as you would on a traditional keyboard, and then type away on the surface to input text on your device. This would mean you could type using larger keys and screen space wouldn’t be taken up by the keyboard.

The mobile device needs to be propped up in a well-lit environment and the system then tracks the features and movements of a user’s hands to determine their placement. Instead of the keys being projected onto the surface, a visual representation is shown on-screen so you can see where your fingers are in relation to the keys.

This virtual keyboard is currently just a prototype but TechCrunch reports that Fujitsu is considering turning it into a working product for some of the company’s smartphones and tablets.